World’s Tallest Roller Coaster Coming to Florida

Some huge news came out of IAAPA last week as CoasterCrew got an earth-shattering update related to the PolerCoaster concept that was proposed earlier this year. Two PolerCoasters will be built, one in Georgia and one in Florida. And, the one being built in Florida, will be the world’s tallest roller coaster at 525 feet tall. It will also be one of the longest coasters and it will use S&S el loco cars.

Where in Florida will the PolerCoaster be Built?

As you can see in the video, the designer wasn’t allowed to say exactly where in Florida the ride will be built. He did say that an official announcement will be made in two weeks, which would put it at about the week after Thanksgiving. The only thing I’ve found in terms of rumors is this article: New Mystery Theme Park Coming to Orlando?

It sounds like the first of the two projects will be the 5,000 foot long, 325 foot tall PolerCoaster coming to Lakepoint Sports Complex. It’s located north of Atlanta, GA. According to the interview above, that ride will be called White Knuckle.

What’s your take on this huge news? Where do you think the coaster will be built? Leave a comment below.

12 Responses to “World’s Tallest Roller Coaster Coming to Florida”

I can’t stop seeing their brand name as misspelled (probably because I’m familiar with the little Polar Coaster at Story Land). This looks like an interesting solution to the problem of how to make a very long ride subject to real-estate constraints… though I guess you still need a sympathetic zoning board. It’s hard to tell how they’ll actually ride, though; the idea is reminiscent of the rides on the Stratosphere in Vegas, which mostly benefit from the novelty of being so high up.

This sounds like a disaster in the making. First, the coaster looks lame. Nothing special, no inversions, no hills filled with airtime, and no mark other than “worlds tallest”. Second, let’s talk about location. Orlando? Welcome to gimmick capital of the universe and good luck standing out. People want impressive and unique. This ride certainly is not. Third, some of us don’t like it bigger. Coasters, in the past few years, have been returning back the “simplicity of the thrill”. Strep turns, multiple “fun” drops, added plot/story/theming, family “style” thrills… 525 ft isn’t simple. It’s not a thrill. It’s not something that will last…long term. The next coaster (with more branded assets) will come along the following year a few feet higher, with greater speed, and complex maneuvers. Then what happens to this 525 ft tower of junk? I’ll tell you…it will sit off I-4 running inconsistently, rusting away, and once a distant memory of a idea gone wrong. Polar coaster…take a lesson from all the failed attractions of years past in Orlando. Execute a bad idea here and a joke in the industry forever. Leave the 500ft and up category to the wave swinger brands. They own it. You don’t.

When I watched the video, I realized that this might be a new era of the roller coaster arms race. I think this roller coaster is going to be very fun and action packed but, since it is a prototype, It will probably be plagued with mechanical issues just like X. It was said that this might be the longest roller coaster in the world. I don’t see how this would be possible because all it does is circle a tower. Also, I don’t see many of these rides being built because they are probably SUPER expensive.

I’m thinking that this proposed polercoaster/observation tower attraction will likely be built in Orlando, but not sure if it’ll be apart of a new or an existing theme park. With it being billed as tallest coaster in the world… that means that Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure won’t be the world’s tallest coaster for very much longer. I’m already aware of Emerson, GA getting polercoaster attraction with proposed sporting complex. Don’t know if rumored Las Vegas polercoaster attraction will pan out or not. With Six Flags adding drop tower rides to existing strata-coaster attractions (SFMM’s Superman: Escape From Krypton received Lex Luthor: Drop Of Doom in 2012… and SFGADV’s Kingda Ka getting Zumanjaro: Drop Of Doom in 2014)… not sure if polercoaster could be added to existing observation tower attractions at SFOT, SFGAM, and SFMM anytime soon or not. As for SFGADV getting polercoaster/observation tower attraction… I could see it replacing Edwards AFB Parachute Training Center attraction, which is among the last known of the parachute drop rides… SFOG and SFOT recently retired their parachute drop rides for newer and better rides.

My first thought? ‘Poor Kingda Ka!’XD (No, I haven’t ridden it but that was the first thing that popped into my head.) Also, I can’t see how this new coaster would be as ‘thrilling’/’fun’/whatever as Kingda Ka or Top Thrill Dragster, even though it will be taller. Won’t the new coaster be quite a bit slower than TTD and Kingda Ka? IDK; I’m not an expert, but it seems like a Flop In The Making in my opinion.:) What’s going to happen a couple years from now when/if the 525 foot mark gets broken?

Maybe I know a little about this, since USTR created it, and patented it. Our criteria for creating new attractions: 1. Will it be safe? 2. Will it be fun. 3. Will it be disruptive? ( that means bigger, better, unique, etc.) 4. Will it be profitable for the owners? The world’s tallest roller coaster will be high, thrilling, fast, and fun. Big announcement on this coming soon!

Well, the announcement was finally made and it will be on International Drive in Orlando very close to the Orlando Eye, a 400 foot tall observation wheel that’s under construction. It will 565 feet tall, have a top speed of about 65 mph, and an inversion at the top, making it the wolds tallest inversion.